Lisa A. Newman, MD, MPH, Recognized With 2020 AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship

June 17, 2020

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is recognizing Lisa A. Newman, MD, MPH, with the 2020 AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship.

Newman is Chief of the Section of Breast Surgery at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, and leader of the multidisciplinary breast oncology programs at the New York-Presbyterian David H. Koch Center. Newman is receiving this award in recognition of her significant contributions to the identification of biomarkers for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in African American and African women, and her dedication to mentoring students and trainees from groups traditionally underrepresented in medicine and research.

The AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship was first presented in 2006. The lectureship is intended to recognize an outstanding scientist who has made meritorious contributions to the field of cancer research and who has, through leadership or by example, furthered the advancement of minority investigators in cancer research.

Newman is a world-renowned expert in breast surgical oncology whose exceptional body of research has significantly advanced the understanding of breast cancer risk and clinical outcomes in African and African American women. To investigate the heterogeneity of breast cancer subtypes and to better understand the complex role of race and ethnicity in breast cancer risk, Newman formed an international collaboration with physicians and researchers in Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Canada, and the Caribbean. Earlier in her research career, she conducted a seminal meta-analysis of more than 10,000 African American patients and 40,000 white American patients with breast cancer, discovering that African American ethnicity is an independent predictor of poor prognosis. Building on this research, Newman and colleagues worked to improve the Gail Breast Cancer Risk Assessment tool to better assess risk among African American women. Through further population-based studies, Newman identified substantial evidence for higher rates of advanced-stage TNBC in young African American women compared to white American women ages 40-49 or older. Newman’s recent work has identified additional biomarkers for breast cancer in African American women, most recently in a study where African Americans were found to have higher proportions of DARC/ACKR1 negative tumors compared to white women.

Newman has been a respected mentor to more than 40 students in different phases of their academic careers. She currently serves on dissertation committees for three graduate students. She served as the program director for the Breast Fellowship Training Program from 2002 to 2015 and faculty associate and mentor for the Global Reach Program from 2013 to 2015 at the University of Michigan. Newman has also served as the program co-director for the Fulbright International Research Fellow Scholarship from 2010 to 2019 and was the program director for the International Breast Surgery Fellowship at Weill Cornell Medicine in 2019.

An AACR member since 1999, Newman currently serves as a member of the Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research Committee and the AACR Finance and Audit Committee. Previously, she served as a member of the Inaugural AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report Steering Committee, the AACR Annual Cancer Progress Report Committee, the AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Memorial Lectureship Award Committee, the AACR Distinguished Lectureship on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities Committee, the AACR Special Conferences Committee, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Grants for Translational Cancer Research Committee, and the Women in Cancer Research Council. In addition, Newman has served as cochair of the AACR Annual Meeting Program Committee, chair of the AACR Distinguished Lectureship on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities Committee, and chair of the AACR Breast Cancer Research Grants Scientific Review Committee. She currently serves as a peer reviewer for the AACR journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Newman’s many awards and accolades include Crain’s New York Most Notable Women in Healthcare (2019), European Society of Medical Oncology Rock Stars of Medicine and Science (2018), Top Blacks in Healthcare (2018), Phenomenal African American Women (2018), Esteemed Women of Michigan (2018), Crain’s Health Care Hero Award (2017), Komen Scholar (2016 to 2019), University of Michigan Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award (2015), University of Michigan Nominee, John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award (2014), University of Michigan Sarah Goddard Power Award for Advancement of Women in Academic Medicine (2014), O Magazine, Angel of Breast Cancer Award (2012), University of Michigan Community Service Award (2012), Vital Signs African Americans in Health Care Award (2012), Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation Annual Award (2012), Detroit News Michigander of the Year (2011), National Medical Association Women in Medicine Award (2010), State University of New York Downstate Medical Center Alumni Association Award in Surgical Oncology (2010), Hale-McMillan Award in Surgery (2009), Hour Detroit Magazine Top Docs in Surgical Oncology (2009 to present), National Surgical Adjuvant Breast Project Minority Investigator of the Year (2002), and the “Pink Ribbons Project” Award: Breast Cancer Awareness & Community Outreach (2000). Additionally, Newman is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Clinical Oncology and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Newman received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University. She earned her medical degree from the State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine (SUNY). Newman completed her general surgery residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and conducted her fellowship training at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. After her fellowship training, Newman obtained her master’s degree from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.